The invention relates generally to surface cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to a self-contained and self-propelled brushless surface cleaner that effectively scrubs a surface with pressurized/heated fluid, and that reclaims both the fluid and contaminants loosened from a surface during the cleaning thereof.
A variety of industrial-strength surface cleaners are known in the prior art. In general, a pressurized cleaning fluid is sprayed onto a surface to loosen dirt, rubber, oil, grease, etc., that has been deposited on the surface during the use thereof. The loosened dirt and other contaminants are then vacuumed. Some surface cleaners filter out the dirt and other contaminants in order to reuse the cleaning fluid. Specific examples of prior art surface cleaners are noted below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,010 discloses a surface cleaner having a spray/vacuum head attached to the front of a tractor and having mechanical systems mounted on a towed trailer. The spray/vacuum head has spray nozzles mounted in separate fore and aft compartments thereof. A central compartment positioned between the fore and aft compartments defines a vacuum chamber. Holes are provided in a bottom wall of the vacuum chamber adjacent the surface to be cleaned. Air vortexes are created at the holes as the vacuum is drawn therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,801 discloses a surface cleaning vehicle having a forward-mounted low-pressure sprayer, an aft-mounted high-pressure sprayer head and vacuum head mounted aft of the high-pressure sprayer for vacuuming up liquid and loose debris.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,713 discloses a surface cleaning vehicle having a front-mounted sprayer followed immediately by rotating brush heads. A squeegee and vacuuming assembly is mounted at the aft portion of the vehicle to vacuum up cleaning liquid and debris.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,287,589, 5,469,597 and 5,979,012 disclose surface cleaners having vehicle-mounted mechanical systems coupled by long hoses to either walk-behind cleaning heads or individual spray and vacuum wands. The walk-behind cleaning heads or wands must be manually moved/manipulated while the vehicle is frequently moved to a suitable support distance.
Unfortunately, none of the prior art surface cleaners is able to achieve the combination of superior surface cleaning, elimination of cleaning fluid runoff, complete cleaning fluid reclamation, and efficient of operating manpower.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surface cleaner having improved cleaning capabilities for cleaning hard flat industrial surfaces such as ship decks, airport runways, streets, parking surfaces and industrial floors.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a surface cleaner that is totally self-contained.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a surface cleaner that can be operated by a single person.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a surface cleaner that effectively scrubs a surface without the use of brushes or other types of surface-contacting scrubbing devices.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled surface cleaner that is easy to maneuver on a surface to be cleaned.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a surface cleaner that reclaims its cleaning fluid while trapping loosened surface contaminants in order to prevent any toxic runoff.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, a brushless surface cleaner includes a vehicle having at least one drive system for propelling the vehicle on a surface to be cleaned. A cleaning head is mounted to the vehicle to extend forward therefrom. The cleaning head has a deck and a skirt extending from the deck such that when the skirt is placed in contact with the surface to be cleaned, a cleaning volume is bounded by the deck, skirt and surface to be cleaned. The cleaning head further has at least one vent port formed in a forward portion thereof and at least one vacuum port formed in a rear portion thereof. A plurality of nozzles are mounted for movement within the cleaning volume between the forward and rear portions thereof when liquid under pressure is supplied thereto and sprayed therefrom. A liquid supply system is mounted on the vehicle for supplying the liquid under pressure to the nozzles so that the surface to be cleaned is effectively scrubbed by the liquid to produce a mixture of the liquid and contaminants loosened from the surface to be cleaned. A vacuum recycling system is mounted on the vehicle and coupled to the vacuum port(s) for suctioning the mixture, filtering the mixture to separate the liquid from the contaminants and return the liquid so-separated to the liquid supply system for reuse thereby.